Getting "Right" With The World

Image from thelifestudio.co.za

April is "Poetry Month" and also the "Month of the Military Child", two things very close to my heart. I've been talking about both of these themes with my students and for the last week, we've been reading a lot of fun poetry. From Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends collection, to Jack Prelutsky's It's Raining Pigs and Noodles, my days at work have been filled with silliness, as well as learning (two of my most favorite activities).

One of my favorite poems, "I Chased a Dragon Today", from the Pigs and Noodles collection was on tap this morning. The children and I practiced our best dragon voices, our scary glares, and tried to make facial expressions that showed the meaning of the word ominously. With my last two students of the day, when I got to the point in the poem where the dragon glares at the knight chasing him after said knight threatens to lop off his head, my students and I all put our faces close together. "Do it," I prompted. "Let's see those dragon glares." Two adorable faces squinted and squished up into their best attempt at scary mad. I joined them. Not even ten second passed before we were all in giggles. Heck, the group before them couldn't even fake a glare, giving way to nothing but hysterical laughter (...apparently I'm funny when I'm trying to look angry, who knew?!)!

This is why I'm studying math concepts I haven't seen in many years, worrying about a test I'm about to take so I can license in an area I never thought I would...because I step one foot into that building filled with short humans, and my entire demeanor changes, my world comes into focus. I remember all the things that are truly important. I remember to leave my stuffy ol' uptight self in the car. With the short humans all around me, I forget the absolutely irrelevant adult "clutter" I've allowed to build up like a massive dust bunny. I remember what innocent fun looks like, and let me tell ya, it's addictive!

My take-away from all of this? If you want to get right with the world (and in your head), spend time around children. Help them learn stuff and let them teach YOU stuff. Also, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, so please show some lovin' to teachers who've been important to you and/or your child. It means SO much! And if you can't do that, be sure to hug a teacher you know. Wearing that "hat" all day is a HaRD job, and no other job on Earth would exist without them. On a sidebar, our world would be a bleak and horrible place, period, without the children.

Note: I shared the video below with my 3rd Grade group today as part of our lesson, mostly because it is a beautifully creative reminder of the magic found in books!